The New Order
by Frozen Shattered Roses
Summary: Central 46 was the government of the Seireitei and with the end of the war many want that government restored. The problem who to staff it? Tha answer the captains of the Gotei 13. But who will run the 13 squads?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Bleach, its characters and its settings aren't mine

* * *

"_What?_ That's crazy!" Kurosaki Isshin couldn't believe what he'd heard.

"Nevertheless sir, it's true. You've been ordered to start your preparations immediately." The messenger handed him a scroll. "The particulars are enclosed sir." The young man shunpoed away.

Kurosaki Isshin sat down heavily at his kitchen table, scratched at his bearded jaw.

This was – unfortunate.

_Unfortunate?_ Unfortunate be damned! This was bloody impossible! Irresponsible! He-

-had to live up to his responsibilities.

The front door opened, Ichigo called "I'm home!"

"Ichigo," Isshin called. "I need you in the kitchen. Get your sisters too."

"You know I don't like it when you use your serious voice, old timer. What happened?"

"Just get your sisters Ichigo. I should probably talk to you first but this affects all my children, Yuzu and Karin deserve to hear it at the same time you do."

"What-"

"Ichigo," Isshin sounded tired. "Just get your sisters."

A subdued Ichigo went to the stairs to search out his sisters. The girls were thirteen now and they sometimes could be difficult. Carrying them is a more credible threat when he was in arms reach.

He found them in their room, doing their homework.

"Oi, munchkins, the goat wants a family council. Everyone downstairs."

"We're busy," said Karin. "Can't it wait?"

"He doesn't seem to think so."

There wasn't a lot of movement.

"I did say he said now? Get a move on, munchkins."

Yuzu made a munchkin face. "Stop calling us munchkins."

"Stop looking like one."

Yuzu suffers from what I call cute little face disease. When she gets annoyed, her cute little face makes her pout. Conversely when Yuzu is happy, her cute little face makes her seem extra happy. I personally have scowl-itis.

I enjoy that a lot more.

I was scowling right now. I didn't feel like arguing – neither of these two knew what kind of mood the goat was in, something had upset him.

It takes a lot to upset him. He'd laughed off me breaking into the Seireitei.

Well, no help for it, someone was going to get carried.

I grabbed Yuzu because she kicks less, threw her over my shoulder. And Karin always follows to try and rescue her (Karin's pretty fierce) so taking Yuzu first saves me a second trip.

Have to time it right though or I get kicked from behind.

I'm fast as ever, seconds later a small screaming mob was flashing down the stairs. Karin almost got me as I made the kitchen and put Yuzu down. Karin had her fire up, she wanted to fight and-

"Settle down."

All the action stopped, and everyone under eighteen turned to look at the goat.

He pointed to the table. "Sit kids. We need to talk."

Yuzu and Karin, and I'll admit myself as well, were stunned into silence. We took our places at the table. Dad put a hand to the back of Yuzu's neck like he was comforting her.

"Am I interrupting?" Rukia stood by the kitchen door in her shinigami form. By now Yuzu and Karin could see her perfectly.

"No," said Isshin. "You may have answers. Please take a seat Rukia."

Okay, this was getting creepy. I don't think I've seen my father this serious for this long since the war.

"Dad," I said, "what's happened?"

He had that deadly serious look in his eyes, the one that's almost always replaced by his idiot lunacy a second later. This time the lunacy didn't come. "When Aizen started his first attack within the Seireitei he destoryed the chamber of 46. He replaced their orders with his own, almost executing Rukia in the process."

All of us knew this part of the story. It had become impossible to conceal our shinigami natures from the girls once they developed their own spirit powers. We'd had to explain everything.

This reminded me of that conversation.

"The chamber is the government of the Seireitei."

"I thought the king-" said Yuzu.

"No, peanut. It's the chamber."

"Dad, what's happened?" I was beginning to get really, really worried. That old nameless dread.

"Old man Yama built the thirteen squads, the academy, the kido corps and the secret remote squads. Because of that people were willing to accept his rule during the war. Now that the war is over a lot of people think too much power is concentrated in one pair of hands."

I'd never thought of that before. The old man had been the last one standing, he was a senior official, I'd just sort of assumed there was some sort of succession plan that put him in charge. He was the boss, it was as simple as that. The Seireitei had never seemed like a democracy, certainly I'd never thought of it that way."

So what? "So – what's happening, is he retiring?"

"We're promoting him. Six judges, forty sages. There are a lot of seats to fill and not enough people to fill them. Yama is going to be one of the judges. The rest of the captains will mostly be sages. A great many people are tired of Yama's martial law, _including_ his own captains. A lot of people feel he didn't manage the war particularly well. Effectively they've neutralized him, despite the promotion."

"What do you mean martial law?" That was Karin.

"It _was_ martial law," observed Yuzu. "Wasn't it? I never thought of it that way before."

"Yama's old and stubborn beyond words," said the goat. "There's a lot of people who think he made more mistakes then he should have, the captains and a lot of others feel it's time for a change. They want to overhall the system, arrange things so a stunt like Aizen's never comes so close to succeeding again. In the central 46 he'll have no more power than any of the other judges, a lot of people are considering that a great trade for getting him out of the captain commander's post. People of the Seireitei want their government back."

That was too much. "What, the Rukongai? How much of a vote did people there ever get?"

"Enough with the righteousness, Ichigo." Dad pinched the bridge of his nose while I wondered who'd replaced my father with an alien. "There are people of influence. Merchants, the nobility, the academics, the squads themselves. People want their government back, even the illusion of government. The chamber must be restored. As I said with the losses from the war there aren't a lot of qualified people available, so they have to make do."

"What does this have to do with us?"

"I've been recalled."

"_What?_"

"It gets better, son. So have you."

"_WHAT?_ I don't know anything about government!"

"You won't be in the government. You'll be captain commander of the 13 squads."

I looked at my sisters, then Rukia, wondered if we should try to get my father some kind of help. For a few seconds there I honestly thought he'd lost his mind.

"It's true Ichigo," said Rukia. "As we speak arrangements are being made to reopen the hall. The 46 are supposed to be back in business in a few weeks. Captain-Commander Ya-" she checked herself, "the outgoing Captain-Commander has committed to that."

I didn't even know where to start. "How can they- Rukia, what he said-"

"It's true Ichigo. You're to be the new Captain Commander. With some changes," she amended "The secret remote squad and the kido corps will no longer fall under your jurisdiction And I would suspect the central 46 will take more of an active roll in running the squads."

This wasn't making any _sense_. "Rukia, that's _crazy_. There have to be at least twenty people ahead of me for that job!"

"Ichigo," she said, almost pleaded. "Calm down. You can't lose your temper this way anymore." She sighed. "To answer your question, all but one of the captains are being moved. They'll become part of the new central 46."

"So why _me?_ I-"

"Ichigo," Rukia said, "_please _calm down." She sounded tired – I realized there had to be ungodly stress at the squads right now. "The reason they've chosen you is Zaraki-taicho."

"They aren't taking him with them?" I felt a rotten sinking sensation as the pieces clicked into place. I'd said it without much hope, but it didn't really sink in how insane it sounded until I heard it out loud.

Rukia had the grace not to mock me. "They wouldn't offer him a government position and he wouldn't take one if they did. And the vice-captains-" she shrugged.

"None of them can handle him, Ichigo," said my father. "It has to be _you_."

This was all happening too fast- I reached out for something -_anything_- "But – what about school?"

"Ichigo," said my father, "if the Seireitei falls apart there'll be no safe place left on this world." He squeezed the bridge of his nose again. "I'm sorry, son."

My life was gone, it had just disappeared. This afternoon I had a future, that – it had _ended_-

Rukia continued. "Mayuri is arranging for a permanent portal between the captain commander's residence in the Seireitei and this house. Yuzu and Karin will be able to continue with their schooling and their lives here."

"Wait a second," growled the goat. "Why the captain-commander's residence? My girls need their father!" This wasn't the Kurosaki Isshin the goof, this was Kurosaki Isshin the father talking. Yuzu had already started to cry, Dad put his arm around her.

"I'm sorry," said Rukia. "You know the rules, Kurosaki-san. For now the members of the 46 live apart. Maybe that will change with the new administration. Until it does you'll have to trust Ichigo to stand in for you."

"That's asking too much!" growled the goat. "He's a boy himself! What does Ichigo know about raising daughters?"

"He's the captain commander Isshin-san. Beyond that-" Rukia just shrugged, there was nothing she could do.

"What about the others?" I demanded. "Urahara, Yoruichi?"

"Urahara-san, by virtue of being more intelligent but not as clever as Yoruichi-san has already been taken into custody. Twenty members of the secret remote squad. Yoruichi, by virtue of being _very_ clever, ran away the moment she saw them. As far as I know they're still searching for her."

"Surely you're not going along with this, goat?" That was Karin. Her eyes were wide and her voice rose. "_Goat!_ You can't_do_ this!"

We argued and fought into the night. There were a lot of tears before the end.


	2. Chapter 2 Telling The Gang

Disclaimer: Bleach, its characters and its settings aren't mine

* * *

**T minus 19 days and counting.**

I was walking to school, wishing Rukia was with me. All the Reapers had gone back to the Seireitei once the Arancar threat was neutralized; there was nobody but me to explain. I'd been debating skipping class and calling a meeting on the roof, but there were too many people who had to know.

How was I going to _explain_ this? Sorry, got a better offer, you'll have to kill the rest of the hollows yourselves?

It didn't matter that (as Rukia insisted) I'd still be fighting the good fight. The moment I stepped off the front lines I became as guilty as the old man was of just watching the world go by. I'd become the hypocrite I'd always said _he_ was. The worst thing is that it_had_ to be done – Zaraki was too important and too damn wild. No one else could handle him even in theory.

I'm going to have to fight him again, without bankai. I'm going to need to toss him around like a rag doll. Without a clear and obvious victory-

I can't see it happening any other way. He's my best, I can't afford to lose him. The Seireitei needs him too much.

I've developed a sort of a theory – it's too way too crazy to be real but some days I have to wonder. Zaraki's power is like mine, immense. And his shikai is a permanent release, like mine. This is where the crazy leap comes in. Zangetsu's physical form is big, he's bigger than I am. And he's hardly what you'd call playful. Suppose Zaraki's Zanpakuto were? Suppose say, the physical manifestation of Zaraki's Zanpakuto was say, oh I don't know, small and pink maybe? Suppose Zaraki's immense spiritual pressure had kept his Zanpakuto physically manifested since before he'd joined the squads?

Zaraki may have known his Zanpakuto's name for years and been too stupid to realize it. I could see it now, Zaraki points his sword at Ikkaku's shining head and releases it by shouting _Yachiru, bite!_

_Yachiru, eat candy?_

Nah, couldn't be.

But I sort of wish it was.

Actually no I don't. The thought of him grinning at me and shouting _Yachiru, bankai!_ - that's a little _too_ frightening.

Nice sojourn into the fantastic there. I still have my problems _here_.

Keigo was the first person I saw when I got to class.

"Keigo, lunchtime meeting for everybody. Something's happened."

Maybe he's grown up a little. Some of the happy happy fell off his face and he straightened up.

"Right Ichigo. Big news?"

"You could say that. Chad, lunchtime meeting."

The big guy nodded.

"Where are Tatsuki and Orihime?"

"Aren't you going to tell _me_ about the meeting?"

"You're standing right there Ishida."

Ishida frowned. We usually banter a bit. The fact I didn't want to play got me that slight wrinkling of his forehead as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

I guess he'd be the leader now.

The sensei came in but someone either pulled a fire bell or set something on fire. Anyways, we had to go outside.

Chad shot me a meaningful look. We'd hooked up with Tatsuki, the Hime and Mizuiro in the hall.

I shook my head. We could wait until lunch. I didn't want to drag everyone off and get them into trouble. I-I hadn't thought about it. I was dropping out of school in a few weeks.

They wouldn't even let me finish school.

I don't think I managed to learn anything when we finally went back to home room.

The day dragged but it was also a blur because I was oblivious. I know I was acting weird, Tatsuki and Orihime were staring at me, so were a few other people outside our immediate circle.

Great.

I have to get my shit together, I can't be seen like this. The squads are going to need a leader.

Lucky them, they've got me.

I _have_ to get my shit together.

Lunch finally came. Last night Rukia got upset every time I lost my temper. Now I see why.

I grabbed my bento and headed towards the roof.

"Do we need privacy?" asked Chad.

"I think so."

Chad nodded. He has this trick with the door handle; he can bend it just a little and basically lock the door to the roof from the outside.

"We won't be disturbed," he said.

I caught Ishida's eye, gave him a look. Again he crinkled his brow a little in curiosity.

He'd know what I meant when the time was right.

I finished lunch before Ishida so I took turns with Chad on keeping Orihime's lunch moving. We worry about her - she'll get distracted and talk so much that she won't eat her lunch. Now there are always three sets of chopsticks in her bento, hers and two others. If she gets distracted and starts to talk before she's eaten enough one of us will pop more food into her mouth, it's like feeding a baby bird. Usually the threat of it keeps Orihime focused enough to eat on her own.

Feed the Hime is a highly advanced game of skill. Better yet it's Tatsuki approved; she hasn't killed us yet. I think Tatsuki wants to try but she's too embarrassed.

Today Chad was two dumplings up on me, a near-insurmountable lead.

Lord help us if Chizuru ever sees though – Tatsuki will kill all three of us.

When Orihime was winding down (I sometimes think we're being cruel by making her eat the stuff she brings) Ishida spoke.

"What's the emergency?"

Everyone went still.

"You're aware that the Seireitei is effectively governed by the central 46?"

"That's the body above the shinigami, isn't it?" That was Tatsuki.

"Yes. I don't think anyone on this side of the line really grasped the situation there. I don't think you can vote for your local 46 representative, but they were the government, democratic or not. Not sure how that worked. I did find out last night that without the central 46 the people of the Seireitei considered themselves to be under martial law."

"That's something I didn't know," mused Ishida.

"It makes sense," said Chad.

"I take it something has changed?" Ishida pushed his glasses up his nose.

"I don't know that the central 46 were much of a government, but people want the 46 back. Cynical version? Getting the 46 back gets the old man off the top of the pyramid."

Everyone knew who the old man was.

"The squad captains are no longer willing to take the old man's leadership. Back in the Edo period his policies were fine. These days he's a little out of touch."

A little. Just that tiny little bit.

"Back to the 46. Someone decided they can kill two birds with one stone. Brilliant idea is to move the old man to the 46. On paper it's a promotion. In practice it neutralizes him; I expected he'll be voted down for suggesting a lunch break. Problem number two, the arrancar war decimated the Seireitei. Aizen killed the sitting 46 himself, just over half the rank and file shinigami are dead and well over half the lower ranked seated officers were killed. There isn't a single squad with a complete set of officers in seats one through twenty, let alone a squad with all twenty or two hundred or whatever it is for any given seat. The squads are in tatters."

There were a couple of nods; everyone knew that.

Right, time to press ahead.

"All but one of the existing captains are being transferred to the central 46."

"That's crazy," said Tatsuki. "The squads are in wreckage so now they're going to bring up the farm team? _Now_, when they need experienced leadership the most?"

Okay, that hurt.

"No one consulted me on it." Rukia couldn't disapprove of that answer. Nice and stoic, just like the old bastard who'd gotten me into this mess. "Apparently it was discussed and decided that there's no one else. My father and Urahara have already been recalled to form the new government. Yoruichi, by virtue of being clever, has already disappeared. I don't imagine she'll reappear until the new government is solidly entrenched without her."

"Ichigo, what are you saying?" That was Ishida.

"I'm leaving."

This was met with silence.

"You're what?"

"I've been made captain commander of the thirteen squads. The message came last night."

This was met with more silence.

Finally Ishida said. "You're captain commander."

"There's no one else. They're not taking Zaraki with them. They can't give_him_ the job and they can't give it to anyone who can't handle him. That leaves me. Presumably with central 46 looking over my shoulder every step of the way."

"But-but_why?_" Tatsuki again. Orihime looked like she was about to cry.

"Everyone else is being moved to the central 46. I'm the only one left." I didn't want to explain it again.

The old man was rubbing off on me already.

_No._

_I will _not_ be the old man._


	3. Chapter 3 First Forray

Disclaimer: Bleach, its characters and its settings don't belong to me

* * *

**T minus 17 days and counting**

Sunday morning. I can handle this.

The gate had been running for two days. Last night a bunch of the twelfth squad gang installed the matter translation equipment that allows Yuzu and Karin to use it. They've already left for the day to see Dad. Because they've been invited they're not technically ryoka, but I suspect they're going to have minders assigned to them for as long as they're there.

I'm going to have to change some rules.

The gate doesn't yet connect to the terminal in the ca- in my new quarters. They're waiting until the current occupant leaves. For the moment it connects to one of the regular launch points.

Kon has control of my body. He offered me a cocky salute and headed off to cause trouble.

I guess-

Kon is going to take my body. Seems a shame to waste it.

I cannot believe I just said that.

If I'm able to I'll try to pass my highschool finals. Then Kon becomes the new Kurosaki Ichigo, he gets my life. I don't know what the hell he's going to do with it, but he gets it.

And I don't.

I wish I could say it seems like a fair trade.

Right.

I squared up my shoulders.

Right.

Time to go.

Right.

Ah shit. I stomped forward before I lost my resolve, drew a big breath and walked through the gate into Seireitei's brilliant sunlit morning.

It was raining in the real world. And there's been some kind of time differential, it's cool and the air is still heating in Soul Society, it's earlier in the morning here.

I can smell trees nearby.

Right.

I'm in business.

Today is the first day of the rest of my life.

Any second now I'll figure out what the hell I'm supposed to do with it.

There's nothing like a transition plan, at least nothing they've shared with me. Even if there was I'm not sure I'd follow it. Today I'm looking for information. Currently I have none, I don't even know what's going to happen with my captains. No one has made any effort to share any information at all.

_My_captains. Hard notion to get used to. I'm betting no one has time to talk to me today.

Tough. I'm the damn Captain Commander, or I will be. They'll _make_ time.

I stomped forward. Time to kick a little ass. It's a beautiful day and I'm feeling the need.

It'd help if I had some idea as to where I was.

What the hell to do first?

Staff meeting. Failing that find Rukia and Renji.

Wait a sec, I felt eyes on me.

Looked around. Three very junior female shinigami were looking at me in a way that sort of made me nervous. Pointing and whispering.

_Waaaaaaait a second._

Time to flash step _fast_.

Okay, _that_ I hadn't counted on. The captain commander has always been a sad old geezer, not a sexy young beast. And the women here – they have this association – oh what the _hell_ have I gotten myself into?

I can see the mountain and the tower, once I get there I can find thirteenth squad.

I thought about those girls, who just _happened_ to be there. Dammit the _captains_ are less scary than that.

Focus on business Ichigo. I leaped another building, scowling as I went. Can't let them rattle me. Nobody can rattle me anymore, I'm the captain commander, I have to act like it.

Something snarky comes to mind; one day Yoruichi will come out of hiding. If she tries the naked thing on me I'll have to look her up and down, sniff and tell her I've seen better.

I just hope I have.

Shit. Absolutely nothing like a provision had been made for any kind of transition, I'm guessing because they think they'll be running this place through me. I'm only seventeen after all.

Yeah, that's it, it has to be. Ultimately all they're really doing is buggering off to a conference room somewhere, they think they'll still be giving the orders.

Wrong. If I'm getting the job title I'm taking the job, I'm going to _be_ captain commander. That's not optional and it's not subject to debate. I'm not here to babysit Zaraki; if they wanted a puppet they should have gotten someone else.

I need captains, a lot of them. Probably more than soul society has ever needed at one time. It's time to see who and what I've got to work with. My first stop is eleventh division. I need a word with a certain shinigami there, a certain _shining_ example to us all.

_Yeah. That's _what I'm going to do. Time to teach _everybody_ the new rules.

The gang at eleventh all know me by sight, so nobody gave me any grief when I hit the edge of their territory and walked in. Bad news gets around fast.

Come to think of it there were a lot of people hanging around doing nothing. Lack of orders maybe? Discipline couldn't be the problem, most of the shinigami were so hopped up with being perfect officers that it makes my teeth hurt. It's only people already at the top who seem to slack off, at least that I've seen.

I passed a few more young girls; hadn't realized there were any women_in_ Eleventh.

I wondered if they admired Ikkaku's sleek head.

Well you never know, somebody might. My first act as Captain Commander, me and Renji are going to hold Ikkaku down and paint some hair on that thing. A rich chocolate shade maybe. Or caramel, that'd work too.

Yachiru pink perhaps?

The closer I got the better I felt. Today was the day for that rematch. Once I had Zangetsu in my hand everything in the world becomes clear.

Some of the younger reapers scurried off; something in my smile I think.

Word would get around. Didn't matter how often I've trained with eleventh, the entire Seireitei would know there's only one reason I could be here today. Even if they didn't know who the captain commanders replacement was, if the captains were going no one would be surprised to see me.

I passed another group of the younger eleventh guys, all of whom disappeared fast. I think they were going to get their friends.

A couple minutes later I stalked onto elevenths primary training field. The eleventh guys (and women too) start early. I didn't disrupt any matches or drills specifically, but I could feel them slowing and stopping behind me when I walked past.

Wonder how wide the news is known. Maybe they thought I'd come for Zaraki's haori.

Ikkaku was at the far end of the field, berating some of their better guys. I found an empty ring nearby and walked into the circle, bled out just a little of my spiritual pressure. Not enough to burst eardrums, but enough to attract Ikkaku's notice.

He stopped the match he was overseeing, smiled that Ikkaku smile and swaggered my way, stopping just outside the ring.

I don't care what anyone says. Yuzu is right, Ikkaku walks like a duck.

A crowd was forming around the ring at the speed of shunpo.

"So Kurosaki-_san_," called Ikkaku, "anything I can do for you?" He's got that damn grin going.

"Yeah. You hear the news?" I didn't want to give anything away if the word hadn't been spread yet.

"_Maybe_ I have. What do you plan to do about it?" He made like he was going to step into the ring, but didn't.

Ikkaku was toying with me. He always had to show off. You should see his lul-lul-lul-lucky dance. Only don't do it when you're hung over or you'll think you're in _hell_.

I raised my arms like I was stretching, walked a few steps around the edge of the ring backwards. Like I don't have a care in the world.

"I need to make a point."

"He needs to make a point. Hear that everyone? Ichigo needs to make a point."

There wasn't much laughter.

"You want to go Ikkaku?"

"Yeah," said the pachinko one. "I'll _go_ with you." He stepped into the ring, drew Hozukimaru and released to shikai.

"That's not going to be enough Ikkaku, and we can't fight here."

"Oh, we can't fight _here_, can we? Where are we going to fight then?" He knew what was coming. It's not every day the gloves are off completely, but today they were and Ikkaku couldn't wait.

I looked up, stared at the sky.

"Light up, Ikkaku. You can use your Bankai, I won't."

Ikkaku gave me an incredibly dirty look. No one was supposed to know about Ikkaku's Bankai, though it wasn't a well kept secret after the war. Now it was public record.

"You bastard." The bald one shunpoed, I felt him land on Sokyoku hill. I could feel his pressure blazing already, he was bring out the big guns.

I spotted Yamichika at the edge of the crowd. "When the pressure stops get fourth squad to the hill. I want Ikkaku restored as soon as possible."

"Ichigo!" Rukia had appeared behind me, actually in the ring. She had a bundle with her.

A white bundle.

She bowed low. "Your haori, Captain."

I took a moment to pull on the white overrobe, noted it had the long sleeves of a senior captain.

There was no number on the back.

If the word hadn't been out before it'd certainly be out now. I'll admit I was kind of hoping for a cheer or something, but nobody said anything.

There was a shifting in the air, almost like a breeze. Ikkaku had released his Bankai.

I stepped from the ring to the top of the hill.

Ikkaku was blasting, his energy was rolling off him in great red waves. I've seen his Bankai before; I knew to wait while the red dragon crest fully filled.

I pulled Zangetsu off my back.

Ikkaku made one of those crazy Ikkaku sounds, shouted "aren't you going to light up?"

I shouted back "I can't," prompting Ikkaku to scream back "That's a nice haori Ichigo! I'll try not to get blood on it!"

_Really?_ "Hey thanks Ikkaku!"

"_Your_ blood you idiot! Not mine!"

I bowed low. "Come if you're coming Pachinko-dono. Zaraki will be here soon."

Ikkaku gave me another screaming laugh. "Don't worry Ichigo! I'll have you in pieces before he arrives!"

He was going to do everything in his power to kill me. Ikkaku was going to attack flat out and he was going to try to kill me. I couldn't release my sword, the whole point was to defeat his Bankai with my Shikai, a test of strength before all of Seireitei.

I felt good. Some things just feel _right_ and this is one of them.

He came at me fast and hard, classically Ikkaku. Everything in the one blow because he knew he wasn't going to get a second. He knew the whole point was for me to defeat him in a single blow, but he didn't have to make that easy.


	4. Chapter 4 Light Up The Sky

Disclaimer: Bleach, its characters and its settings don't belong to me

* * *

The explosion rocked the Seireitei. Yumichika sighed and flashed into the open air. If he'd timed this right Ikkaku's descending arc would pass right-

Hanataro materialized across from him, also looking towards the falling Ikkaku.

"Fourth division is hardly punctual," said Yumichika.

"Sorry," replied Hanataro. "I came the moment I felt Ichigo's pressure. He's gotten fast, hasn't he?"

"He's always been fast," replied Yumichika. They snagged Ikkaku out of the air as he sailed by, the broken stump of his Zanpakuto still clutched in one hand.

"I have to admit," said Yumichika, "I didn't think he could handle Ikkaku in one hit. Is he all right?"

"Out like a light," said Hanataro. He shifted a little, got under Ikkaku's flacid arm to support the third seat. "Can we land there?" He pointed at a nearby building.

Yumichika nodded, and the fifth and seventh seats carried Ikkaku down, landed on the roof.

Hanataro checked Ikkaku's breathing, launched into a minor healing kido.

"He's fine," Hanataro said. "Just had the wind knocked out of him. He'll wake up in a few minutes."

Yumichika said "He won't be pleased at losing."

Hanataro put on a very solemn expression. "No, he won't."

The two shinigami grinned at each other.

Ikkaku started to stir.

"He-huh? Did I get him?"

"Not so much," replied Yumichika.

&&&

I felt Yumichika and Hanataro arriving to catch Ikkaku. He'd be in good hands. Despite getting beaten he'd enjoyed the fight, I know that much. He's like Kenpachi that way, though neither would admit it. They like losing as much as they like winning. Better to win of course, but all that really matters is the fight.

I didn't bother landing of course, it was only a matter of-

I parried Kenpachi's zanpakuto as he tried to take my head.

"Good _morning_ Ichigo!" Shouted the captain, taking another swing that I blocked.

I like Zaraki. Once you understand the guy he's great. A little weird, but still great. If all the world collapses around me, Zaraki Kenpachi will be there with his Zanpakuto, ready to fight me in the debris. In a way he reminds me of Chad, except he's Chad's opposite in virtually every way.

"Good morning Captain Zaraki!" I knocked him so hard with Zangetsu that Zaraki was actually thrown backwards.

"So how's our captain commander?" Zaraki doesn't care about titles, he cares about fighting. He launched forward, took a swing that should have cut me in half.

"As well as can be expected." I bashed him hard enough to throw him a second time. Zaraki didn't mind, these were just the preliminaries. Casual conversation so to speak.

"So you're here to keep me in line? Good! We can fight every morning! Zaraki lay a few heavies on me. I returned the favor with a blow that should have cut _him_ in half. "Glad to have you back, boy!"

"You can't call me _boy_, Zaraki! It's Captain Commander now!"

"Not yet, _boy!_"

"Enough of the pleasantries! Let's _rock!_" We backed off to get some running room, the pair of us hanging in the sky above Execution Hill.

I don't know when I started to like these fights with Zaraki. Strictly speaking we're not fighting to _kill_, though one of us wouldn't have to go far wrong to get killed by the other. These were a friendly sort of fight.

We smashed into each other hard enough to drop a lot of Vice Captains, drew back for another go. It wasn't about speed, it was about how hard you could hit and be hit.

Zaraki hits hard. I'd give the average bank vault door one pass before he folded it like butter.

"Sorry to cut this short!" I shouted, "But I've got a lot to do today!"

"Oh no you don't!" He reached for his patch, shouted back "Call your Bankai!"

"Oh no!" I shouted back, "Not until you show me yours!"

The look on the man's face – it was classic. You've never seen something like that, it was like telling a child Santa wasn't coming until every room in the house was cleaned up, washed down and _painted_. I've never seen something so funny in all my life.

"_What do you mean you won't use Bankai!"_

I have to admit I was enjoying this.

"Sorry Kenny!" We smashed into each other, shot back and smashed into each other again. "Not until you have a Bankai of your own!"

I swear it was like looking at an outraged five year old. I didn't want to make him too angry, so I didn't actually laugh, but I came _awfully_ close. Zaraki wasn't having it, he tore off his eye patch and came at me for real.

This time I hit him hard enough to knock him out of the sky. It didn't last, he was back in less than ten seconds and blasting out his full pressure. I had to gain some altitude just to keep his pressure from killing anyone on the ground. We hammered for another ten minutes, then I backed him off with a few heavy hits, the last of which drove him through a building. He was shouting abuse and shaking his fist from the rubble as I shunpoed off.


	5. Chapter 5 Level Set

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, its characters or its settings

* * *

T minus 16 days and counting

I was looking out over the hill where I'd fought Byakuya, and Aizen. I'd called my first meeting.

They arrived almost at the same time, in groups of three or four. Only Zaraki came alone.

They stood in the two lines I remembered from the captains meetings I'd stood in on.

"They expect us to fail you know." I was still looking over the cliff at that point. "They practically want us to."

I turned to face them. This was invitation only, and I freely admit I don't know a lot of shinigami. There are probably people here who shouldn't have been and people who should have been here who weren't.

There was no one from second or third; their vice captains had fallen during the war. Isane, Lemura and Momo came from fourth and fifth, then Renji, Iba and Nanao. On the other side were Hisagi from ninth, Rangiku from tenth, Zaraki, Nemu, Rukia and the two third seats from thirteenth. Beyond them and looking pissed was Ikkaku.

Yachiru was nowhere to be seen; some days she's a lot less childish than others.

"It's not malicious," I continued. "They just don't think we're ready for this. God, would you listen to me? I sound like an old man."

I straightened up a little. I'd had the odd dream (mostly nightmares) of replacing the old man; this was nothing like them. I'd always seen it as a battle, the old man falls and I step up to take his place. In the battle. In the aftermath it was supposed to be someone else. Solemn handshake with Ukitake then back to high school.

"They're the ones who are wrong though. Not about us, but about themselves. All your captains think they can still be there for you, run your divisions off the corners of their desks. That's not going to work."

I took a step towards the group of them.

"Every decision that comes out of central 46 is going to be reached by committee. There will be no individual decisions, meaning there are no more captains. That's what _they_ don't understand, they have no more private preserves."

I straightened a little, tucked my thumbs into my sash.

"Nobody likes change, certainly not someone like me taking over from Yama-ji. He's held his post for two thousand years now. In contrast I'm seventeen, by far the youngest person within sound of my voice. That said, no one here has any choice in the matter. It's been decided. Presumably wiser heads have prevailed."

I left the next bit unsaid, but everyone knew what I meant. All the captains were stepping off the line just to neutralize the old man, that was the_point_. And they were the people who dealt with him on a day to day basis – _they_ thought this was worth it. I suspect there was a very private, very unanimous vote held somewhere. Zaraki obviously was in on it, but you'd never get an answer out of him.

"We are getting a change, and _that_ said, I think it's time for a change. Yama-ji is a hell of a warrior, no one is debating that. But he doesn't understand the modern world. People-" meaning some of the people assembled - "complained about the way he handled the war. As I said, he's a hell of a warrior."

But draw your own conclusions about how he did as a general.

"Zaraki and myself aside no one here has a white haori. Please, no snide comments about mine, fact of the matter is I have it. I suspect your captains have may few if any succession plans with you, beyond keep the lights on and the paperwork neat." I waited long enough to give them a change to glance at each other. I was broaching a subject a lot of people had been avoiding.

"That's not enough. In about two weeks those captains are going to leave."

"About that haori. Notice mine. It was given to me, and it's official. Zaraki won his by right of combat, which makes his official too. None of you have them yet and by the laws of the Seireitei I can't hand them out. No one has told me anything about given them to you either."

"I expect central 46 will try to interfere in my decisions. They have the right. By the laws of the Seireitei I don't have the ability to promote captains on my own, unless you're willing to take on your current superiors in combat."

"When I'm ready I intend to break those laws. As far as I'm concerned the inner workings of the thirteen squads are _our_ business, not central 46s. They can give the directives, _I'm_ giving the orders. You are the best in the thirteen squads, some of you will be my twelve captains. Unfortunately, not all of you, but it's probably fair to say everyone here is going to have a better title tomorrow then they have today. Expect that to be unpleasant; being a captain is onerous. I know this because I'm standing before you now, looking at you and knowing I'm responsible for your safety and the safety of the mortal world. Trust me, it's onerous."

I had to grin. "I once said I wanted to protect people. Guess I got my wish, huh?"

I took a couple of steps forward and crossed my arms. "My thirteen squads will be different from the outgoing captain commanders. We're behind the times. I lived in the mortal world all my life, so I know. There's too much paperwork here, not enough computers. Nemu, I'm going to need you to change that. We can't afford the luxury of having our top people as burdened as they are by requisition forms. I also want to address the seat system. Not to change it, just to see that everyone feels it's performing to its maximum. We still have a lot of empty seats and the war didn't end yesterday. I welcome any intelligent ideas, I'll even listen to the dumb ones. I'm going to be blunt here; the Seireitei has never before been in such awful shape. Morale will plummet unless we're seen to be doing something about it. It's our_ job_ to make sure that doesn't happen. Now does anyone have any questions?"

Somebody laughed.

"Captain Zaraki, do you have a question you'd like to share with the class?"

"He's right you know," said Zaraki. "This isn't supposed to work. It's a political maneuver aimed at taking the old man out of play. Your existing captains think they'll still be running this place, but ever decision will come through a committee. That's one vote from the captain you trust, a few from those you respect and a bunch more from captains you don't even know. Then add about thirty five _more_ votes from clerks and paper pushers who've never even _seen_ a hollow. Government can't run a fighting force!" Zaraki smashed his fist into his palm. "They way I see it we put ourselves behind our new captain commander or we give up and go home. The coats are heavy, kids, but there's no one else to wear them!"

He glowered around. "We're _not_ doing it their way. Central 46 is just another way of saying your head is stuck up your ass. Let them have their meetings, let them _discuss_ things. Hell, they can even have _consensus_ if they want. Here we fight hollows."

I was a little surprised, I know the guy likes a good fight but I hadn't expected an idealist who studied political science on the side. A man of many layers, our Zaraki.

"Captain Zaraki is right. It's our job to kick hollow ass into next week, _that's_ what we do. We have a purpose, we have a mission and we're damn well going to succeed. The alternative is we fail, and that's _not_ an option. Now excuse me if that's not the speech people wanted to hear, but we're a hundred years behind the times and we've only succeeded up until now because those we've faced have also been behind the mortal world. There are ten thousand shinigami out there who're looking to us to make this work. The old man, the old order is _gone_. It's just us now."

I gave that a few moments to sink in.

"A lot of you are now squadron commanders. Talk to your captains. Get their advice. Then immediately take charge of your divisions. There's no point waiting. If they don't like it tell them to talk to me, I've got a fist for the nose of anyone other than Retsu-san who disagrees. Tomorrow we go live with day one of the new order. Dismissed!"

* * *

_They all shunpoed off except Zaraki, who walked over and did something that rather surprised me. He reached into his haori and pulled out two pairs of sunglasses, gave me one and put the other on himself. Then he said "It's a hundred and six miles to Chicago, we've got a full talk of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses."_

_And I said, "HIT IT!"_

_The Blues Brothers; it's a classic._


	6. Chapter 6 Nagisa

Disclaimer: Bleach, its characters and its settings aren't mine

* * *

T minus 15 days and counting

This damn brush! The damn ink is going everywhere!

I write with a pen, like a ball point or something. I'm lousy with a brush. My first order as captain commander, someone is going to the real world to get me a box of pens!

Shit!

I have eleven vacancies and I don't know how to fill them. I've tried process of elimination about five times now and I'm still not sure I like what I'm getting.

Isane gets fourth squad. She doesn't feel ready for it but I can't put her anywhere else. Lemura could handle the reins there but there's nowhere else for her. One down.

Renji gets sixth, that's a done deal. He's got a bankai, no one can argue with him as a choice. Hisagi and Iba take over their own divisions, fine. Same with Nanao, I suspect she's going to be my right hand. And Nemu is up to the task, say what you want about Mayuri but Nemu is a fantastic piece of work.

Kira and Soi's guy were killed during the war and they've yet to be replaced. Momo is alive but I'm not sure she's up to this. Fact of the matter is Aizen messed her up badly. Excuses can't cut it here, not when I'm entrusting the lives of everyone in fifth squad to its captain.

I'll have to speak to her but I really don't have a good feeling.

Rangiku - I hate to do this to her. She's more than capable but she has absolutely no ambition to be a captain.

She's an adult and a shinigami, she can handle it. The thing that gets me? She's probably the closest thing to a natural leader I have.

That leaves what, second, third, fifth and thirteenth. And I have Lemura, Momo, Ikkaku, Rukia and the two third seats from 13th.

Ikkaku, that's going to go over big. There's no one in the Seireitei who wants to be a captain less than Ikkaku. What do I say, congratulations on your promotion? And where do I put him? He's got the haircut for second but he's hardly the stealth type.

I need a division for guys that walk like a duck.

Give him third or fifth. God, I don't even know what those divisions specialize in. Most divisions – hell virtually all of them, I've got no idea what the hell they _do_.

I'll tell him it's only temporary and see where that goes.

Rubbed my eyes. Who have I got left? Thirteenth's third seats were too damn immature.

Fine, Rukia gets thirteenth until I can figure something out. I can't give her the vice captainship though, not without upsetting people. Regardless of how good she is Rukia is not a seated officer and never has been.

Of course, neither was I.

That might work, she was like me, a combat specialist with assigned responsibilities out of all proportion to her rank.

Okay, have to think about that.

Lemura. Out of the remaining third seats I suspect I'll need him for something. He's an administrator, the sort of guy I'll be able to trust to catch the small stuff. Having met that clown from eighth I consider Lemura an absolute gem amongst third seats.

Maybe I'll make him_my_ lieutenant.

Leaned back in my chair, rubbed my eyes. Just two and five to go, I can worry about them later. Maybe I'll have some great brainstorm.

Not a single captain has been by to see me. I don't know if I should read anything into that or not.

Oh wait - how many of my prospective captains meet the bankai requirement? Ikkaku and Renji do, I know that, and it doesn't apply to Zaraki. I've got mine.

That leaves nine others.

Rukia can't, she would have told me. I'm pretty sure Iba can't and I don't think Hisagi can either. Rangiku can't, I'm not sure about Nemu or Nanao, though I suspect at least one of them might surprise me.

Shit and double shit, I'm going to have to think of something. I mean I can let it slide for awhile but there are lots of tough guys around here and lots of people who might take a shot at a captain's haori. Rukia and possibly Isane and Nemu might be targets.

Zaraki would not.

Maybe I could get someone to start a rumor the Captain Commander is fine with that provided they defeat me first. Or Zaraki.

I'll have a word with Zaraki, he can make sure no one does anything stupid.

I need some sleep.

So not counting the outgoing shift the squads now include one senior captain (length of service, less than a week), one real bastard of a captain, a bunch of vice captains (at least two of which meet the main qualification for being a captain) and a bunch of people filling in. A few of whom don't actually want to _be_ captains.

I'd asked Nanao to get me a table somewhere to work. I also asked her to recommend someone who can act as my aide (for the simple stuff, tell me where the washrooms are, that sort of thing. Someone to get me those damn pens).

* * *

Sei Nagisa was an excellent shinigami. Her parents insisted this was the case. She was a decorated warrior, a war hero, and one of Eighth Divisions twentieth seats three years out of the academy. Nagisa felt she was a shinigami on the move, the sky was the limit. Already she aspired to a eighteenth seat position.

She was pleased and surprised to receive the summons upstairs, and went immediately to her fifteenth seat's office. Nargo was Nagisa's superior officer, responsible for two sixteenths and the officers under them.

He was surprised to see her.

"I didn't send for you."

"But-" Nagisa pulled the envelope from her sleeve.

He laughed. "What, it's official, so it has to come from me?"

"I'm sorry Nargo-san." Nagisa was staring straight ahead. Like a fool she'd never checked the summons. She'd simply assumed it came from Nargo.

He was looking at the envelope, silent. When he looked up his eyes were unfriendly.

"Sei-san, why do you have a summons from Vice Captain Ise?"

The shock was enough to drag Nagisa's eyes down. "What?"

"This is a summons from our Vice Captain. I ask you again, Sei-san, why have you been summoned by our vice captain?"

"I-I don't know sir." She'd just made the career mistake of a lifetime.

"Sei-san, listen to me very carefully. Have you been corresponding with officers ranked above me without my knowledge or permission?"

"No sir! I have no idea why the Vice Captain summoned me! Sir!"

"Go see what the Vice Captain wants, Sei-kun. Afterwards I expect you back in this office with an explanation of your conduct, is that clear?" His voice was very cold.

"Sir! Yes sir!"

"Get out of my office, shinigami Sei."

He was going to bust her down. Nargo was going to take away her seated status.

Her career was over.

And now she had to see the Vice Captain.

Ise Nanao was known throughout eighth division as the Ice Princess. She was as cold as winter, a figure of absolute terror to her subordinates. She was a perfectionist close to perfection, a fanatic administrator and a demoness amongst fighters. There was no one in the division save the captain himself she could spar with, and now she'd be captain herself.

There were even rumors she'd achieved Bankai.

Nagisa stood in the Vice Captain's office, trembling and trying not to show it. She'd never met the Ice Princess before, never spoken to any officer above the twelfth seat. Ise-sama was going through her paperwork, didn't look up when Nagisa padded into the room.

"Sei Nagisa," the Vice Captain eventually said. "Your immediate superior has given you acceptable reviews and indicates you're looking for a new assignment. Is this true?"

"Yes C-Captain!"

The ice maiden looked up, met Nagisa's eyes for the first time.

"My title, Nagisa-san, is Vice Captain."

It was the way she said it, Nagisa felt her knees begin to knock together.

"You're temporarily reassigned, Sei-san. You will be a messenger. Mostly you'll be fetching information and providing basic answers."

She'd been destroyed. They were going to turn her into a courier. Who could have done this to her? She had no enemies, no one who'd try to ruin her.

"-and liaising with me."

Liaising with the _Vice Captain_? "Yes Vice Captain!"

The Vice Captain looked up again, fixed Nagisa with her wintery eyes.

"You're very young, twentieth seat Sei Nagisa. Allow me to give you some advice. Your duties don't include fetching tea, fetching sake or getting spots out of his haori. That said, you will fetch tea, sake or a clean haori as he requests. You will never speak of him to anyone in less than glowing terms. And you will respect him as you respect his predecessor. These are _my_ orders, shinigami Sei. I expect them followed to the letter. You are in a position to learn a great deal over the next month and possibly further your own career. Do _not_ waste this opportunity. Now go."

The Vice Captain pointed to a door Nagisa assumed was a closet. When Nagisa looked at her Ise Nanao stared back, until Nagisa went to the door and opened it.

It was a tiny little office. Sitting on the far side of the little desk was Kurosaki Ichigo.

He looked up at her and scowled.


	7. Chapter 7 Nagisa Part 2

Disclaimer: Bleach, its characters and its settings aren't mine

* * *

Nagisa closed the door to her little room and leaned against it, shaking. Her nerves were destroyed. 

Seconds later there was a knock on the door behind her.

"Nagisa-chan? Are you all right? Open the door."

Yumi, her best friend.

Nagisa opened the door, quickly shut it behind the other girl. Yumi was just a few years out of the academy, and like Nagisa herself looked about sixteen mortal years old.

"Are you all right 'Gisa-chan? I heard you had a bad encounter with Nargo. He's been looking for you all afternoon."

Nargo! She had to go explain to the fifteenth seat!

"I- ohhhhhh!" Nagisa put her head in her hands. "How am I going to explain this to Nargo?" He might have waited all afternoon but it was early evening now! He'd be _livid_!

"He'll kill me Yumi-san, he'll absolutely kill me." Nagisa found a spot on the floor, sat and put her head in her hands.

"Nagisa what happened? You're beginning to frighten me." Yumi came over, sat opposite her.

"I got a summons, an official one," wailed Nagisa. "I thought it'd be from Nargo, so I went to see him without reading it. It wasn't from him!"

"Who was it from?"

"The Vice Captain!"

"Vice Captain Ise _summoned_ you?"

"I put in for a new assignment! Somehow my file made it to her desk!"

"Settle down, 'Gisa-chan. There's no need to cry. What have you been reassigned to?" Then, concerned, Yumi said, "not to another squad surely?"

"No-" the tears were flowing freely now. "I'm to be a messenger and maid to-"

"To _who?_"

"To _him!_ She sent me into a room and then he _glared_ at me and-" Nagisa couldn't go on.

"Nagisa, you're making no sense at all! Tell me what happened! Who's _he?_"

"Kurosaki Ichigo-sama!"

Yumi put her hands to her lips.

"Oh dear." She was stunned, it was all she could say.

Nagisa remembered the battlefield that day she'd earned her second commendation. _For someone so young to charge into the fray, standing over a fallen comrade, sword high against the monster._

_Then it slew the last of the shinigami fighting it, the monster that was the Espada. It destroyed three tenth seats without drawing its Zanpakuto, came towards her, its spirit pressure knocking Nagisa to her knees._

_And then another came, he arrived before the monster reached her, Kurosaki Ichigo, with his red lined coat flapping in the wind. She remembered his eyes, the blaze of his spirit pressure turning them white. Every Shinigami knew the Substitute by sight and by the monstrous force that radiated off him, other Shinigami could feel his pressure for miles._

"_Leave," he commanded. "You're not ready for Espada."_

_And she'd fled, she'd violated orders and fled. The Substitute had no official standing in the Thirteen Court Squads, he couldn't order her off the front line._

_She'd felt the explosion of power as he engaged the Espada, it actually pushed at her - if she'd been near it would have killed her and the fifth squad warrior she was carrying. She rode the might of Kurosaki Ichigo's power back to the Fourth Squad way station._

"_Where's your unit?" Someone had shouted._

"_Destroyed!" She'd shouted back-_

"Nagisa-san!"

Nagisa flashed back to the present. "Yumi-san, what am I going to _do?_"

"First, pay attention when I'm talking." Yumi had a strange gleam in her eyes. "Do you have any idea how important this is going to make you?"

Nagisa laughed bitterly. "To _who_? I'm a glorified clerk and he already hates me."

"Nah nah na, you're not using your head. If nothing else the Women's Association will want photos, you're the best positioned to get them."

"_Photos?_ Are you out of your _mind?_ So I can make him even angrier?"

"Nagisa-san, use your head. You'll probably meet other Vice Captains, Captains too! _Contacts_, people that can help you get ahead!"

"Yumi-san, _you_ don't understand. He spent the first hour dictating a shopping list because he doesn't like writing with a brush, _then_ he sent me to call Vice Captain Abarai an obscene name, then _Captain Zaraki_ came by to set up an appointment for a _fight_ of all things! Then some woman from Thirteenth came in, as far as I can tell she isn't even a seated officer and she screamed at him for ten minutes, at that point he figured out he didn't know my _name_- That was only the _morning_! It just got worse and worse! I'm ruined!"

"You can only hope," replied Yumi sagely. "He's a good looking boy."

"_Boy?_ That's the Captain Commander to you!"

"Oh ease up Nagisa-san. I'm just trying to cheer you up. It's only a month, I'm sure you'll be fine."

Nagisa wasn't so sure.

"Nargo will already be gone for the evening," said Yumi. "Come on, we'll get something to eat and do some celebrating. People will want to know about your new boss. You've just become _very_ popular. Lots of people are going to want to hear about this-

"You can't _tell_ anybody-"

But Yumi was already out into the hall, knocking on the doors of their friends.

"It's ladies night," announced Yumi. "Nagisa-chan has something to celebrate."

---------------------------------------

Nargo came hunting the following morning, found Nagisa as she was hurrying back from breakfast. She wasn't due to start work for nearly an hour, but Nargo was in a temper.

"I gave you an order," he snarled. "Why didn't you obey it?"

"Nargo-sama, I-"

"No excuses, shinigami!"

--------------------------------------

Some distance away Yumi was watching Nargo screaming at her friend. She loathed Nargo, most people did. He was an ass kisser and a bully at the same time, but high enough above them that he could get away with both. There were rumors that his family had bought his position.

But none of that mattered now, because coming up the path with a face like a thunder cloud was Kurosaki Ichigo.

Yumi smiled. Nargo was in for the surprise of his life.


End file.
